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Bnd-Tightener for Cotton-Presses. No.- 227,590. Patented My 1i, 1880.

INVENTOR 'Y @www WITNESSES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

i i i ATTORNEY J. L. SHEPPARD. Band-Tightener for' Cotton-Presses. No. 227,590. Patented May H, i880.

heets-Sheet 3. J. L. HPPARl), Band-Tightener for Catton-Presses. N0. 227,590.

. 7 Afm...

l*Patented May 1 1, 1880.

- ATTURNEY J.'L. SHEPPARD. Band-Tightener for Cotton-Presses. No. 227,590. Patented May Il, i880.

ATTORNEY 5 Sheets-Sheet 4v.

j :WITNESSES J. L., SHEPPARD. BandvTightener for Cotton-Presses. l'

` Patented May 1I, 1880.

INVENT-OR l V fx www ATTURNEY 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

. j UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. sunrrnnn, or CHARLESTON', soir-ruY cnnoLiNA.

l, BAND-TIGHi-ENER lFon coTToNmREssE's.

sPEcIFrcaTIoN farming part of Letters Patent Nd 227,590, dated may 11, leso. Application filed February 27,1880.

To all whom, it may concern Be-it known that 1, JOHN L. SHEPPARD, of Charleston, State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Band- Tighteners for Cotton-Presses; and I do hereby declare the ibllowing 'to be a full, clear, and .exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and'use it, reference being had to the accompanying form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in band-tighteners for cotton presses, the object being to provide mechanism of such construction and relative arrangement of parts that .the opposite ends of all the several bands of a compressed bale may1 be simultaneously subjected toany desired strain in opposite directions and the buckles automatically locked and the band ends released; and to this end my inven tion consists in a bale-band tightener of novel construction, as will be hereinafter described, and specified in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical section, showing the relative posi tion of the parts of the tightener before strain vhas been exerted upon the bands. Fig. 2 isa similar View, showing the position of parts after the ends of the bands ha've been subjected to the desired strain. Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section,`showing the relative position of parts after the buckle has been partly turned to form the tie. Fig. et is a detached view of the pivoted wedge for griping the free end of the hand. In Fig. 5 are represented detached views ot' the sliding griping` device for automatically griping the free end of thev band. Fig. 6 is a side elevation, showing the position of partsl before the buckle has been upset. Fig. 7 is a detached view ot' the adjustable and yielding rack-bars. In Fig. 8 are represented detached views of the buckleholder. Fig. 9 is a view in front elevation, showing a gang or series -of band-tighteners adapted to be operated simultaneously. Fig.

10 is a modification, illustrating mechanism for imparting motion in opposite directions to the push and pull bars. Fig. 11 is a view, iu side elevation, of the slide. Fig. 12 is a view in perspective, illustrating the spring on the pawl pivoted to the slide.

in the county of Charleston and baud-openings b between said bars.

secured a shaft-hanger, D, in

drawings, which A represents the upper, and B. the lower, platen of a cotton or other press, and G represents the bale. Platens A B havethe ordi- "n'ary channel-bars a secured to their opposite faces,l thereby forming any desired number of To the upper platen is the bearings b of which is supportedthe main shaft E, which latterextends along the upper platen nearly its entire length. One end of shaft E is furnished with a crank, c, to the wrist-pin c of Which-is journaled one end of aA connecting-rod, the opposite end being pivoted 'to the slide c3 of any suitable steamengine or other motor, F, which latter is provided with valve mechauism of l.any desired construction to enable steam to be alternately admitted to opposite ends of the steam-cylinder at will and reciprocate the pistou, thereby rotating the shaft E in either direction. Gr is a pull-rod, and G a push-rod, each being provided at its upper end with `racks d d', the teeth of which mesh with the cogs on opposite sides of the cog-Wheel H, the latter being .rigidly secured to the shaft E and revolved thereby. i

vGog-vrrheel H is furnished withv side flanges, e e', which serve as guides for the pull and push rods G G' and prevent their lateral displacement. TO the upper end ofthe pull-rod G is secured a yoke, f, the inner end of which receives the upper end of the push-rod G', the

yoke serving to retain the teeth or cogs of the rack-bars 'in perfect mesh with the cogs of the cog-wheel H. To prevent any undue friction in the operation Of the rods or bars G G', the yoke may have an anti-friction roller, g, journaled therein, and the friction-roller adapted to iit against the rear side of the push-rod G, and, if desired, the roller g may be' journaled in yielding bearings, which will cause the racks to operate snugly in connection with the cog-wheel. f' To the lower end of the pull-rod G is secured a housing or frame, I, or thelatter maybe made integral with the rod or bar G.

Housing I is provided with 'a guideway, it,

' through which is inserted the push-rod G and a separate guideway, h', in which is inserted the upper end of a ratchet-bar, end of push-rod G' t', the sides or ears 'i' i of which are rounded on their lower ends to prevent them from cut- IOO J. The lower is formed with a wide jaw,

ting or catching in the bagging, and are preferably furnished with inwardly-curved shields @"2 to prevent the bagging from being drawn or wedged between the ears or parts pivoted thereto. Between the ears t" t" is pivoted a buckle-holder, which is illustrated in an enlarged view in Fig. S. The back ot' the buckleholder is provided with an elongated open slot, j, for the passage of the band, the buckle resting upon the narrow angesj j. The. upper end of the buckle-holder is formed with an open slot, jz, for the passage of the free end ot' the band, while the sidesjj3 are made tapering from the upper to their lower ends. The lower end of the buckle-holder is furnished with two bearings,j4 j, in which are seated the rounded bearings ji on the small end of the buckle. To the outer-or free end of the buckle-holder is pivoted the buckle-upsetting device K, the front plate, k, of which is provided with side ears or flanges, K K', which latter are pivoted to the opposite sides of the lower end of the ratchet-bar J, the extreme lower end of the latter heilig beveled, as at K2. The lower edge of the platec is provided with the downwardly-proiccting lingers K3 K3, having inwardly-projectin gila n ges k* (shown in Fig. 9) formed on their lower ends. The fingers extend rearwardly at an angle, as shown, so that when the push and pull bars are exerting strain on the opposite ends of the bands the fingers will be seated upon the tapering sides of the buckle-holder and retain the buckle against displacement.

L is a wedge, pivoted at its upper end to swing in a slot formed in the outer face or side ot' the housing I, the lower or free end ofv said wedge being supported upon an eccentric roller or shaft, Z, the journals of which are supported in bearings l?. One end of the eccentric shaft l has a handle, 3,firmly attached thereto. By turning the handle outwardly and downwardly the pivoted wedge is moved outwardly, or out of its operative position, while a reverse movement of the handle serves tolock the wedge in proper position for operating 'on the free end oi' the band, as will hereinafter be' explained. v

Housing I is formed with a guideway, M, in which is placed a trough-shaped slide, N, consisting ofthe bottom plate, m, and sidesml m. The upper end of slide N is furnished with a rod, a, screw-threaded at its upper end and provided with an adjusting-nut, a. The rod n extends through an open slot, a2, in the removable topy ai of housing I. The upper end ot' the floor or bottom vof the slide N isiliclined, as at a, which corresponds and registers with the inclined surface a5 formed in the removable top a, said inclines serving to detlect the free end of the band as it is forced upwardly into the housing, and causing the free end to be guided forward and out through the opening a6 in the upper end of the housing.

The bottom plate of the slide is cut away at one end to allow the periphery of the roller 0,

the journals o o of which -a'e located inthe elongated slots O 0 in the sides of the slide, to extend below the sides and rest upon the partition P, which separates the slide'froni the ratchet-bar. y

The lower end of the sides of the slide are outwardly beveled to enable the free end of the band to be readilyT inserted therein.

To the lower end of the slide is pivoted a pawl, Q, which is retained in operative position by means of a spring (shown in Fig. 12) attached to its rear end or connected with its pivotal bearings.

Partition P is beveled from a point, q', which -is vopposite the point q2 of the pivoted wedge,

will engage with the inclines p p and be disengaged from the teeth of the ratchet-bar.

A spring, p', is secured to the upper platen or shaft-haii ger, the l'ree end ofthe spring being arranged to press against the upper end of the push-bar, and thus force the lower end of theilatter inward or toward the bale.

Guides p2 p2 are secured to the front side of the upper platen in close proximity to bandopening b in the face of the platen. These guides receive the lower end of the push-bar and retain the tightening mechanism against any lateral displacement. i

Having described the construction and arrangement of the several parts of my im proved band-tightener, I will now hrietly describe its operation.

The bale having been compressed, the tightening mechanism is in the position illustrated in Fig. l. The'buckle having been attached to one end of the band and the free end r of the band having been inserted between the lingers of the upsetting device, forced through the open slot in the b'ack of the buckle-holder,

through the band-groove or channel in the upper platen, down around the rear side of the bale, and through the band-opening in the lower platen, and thence upward and through the buckle and into the lower end of the slideguide way, it strikes the roller journaled in the slide, moves the latter up sufliciently to prevent any wedging action on the band, the inclined chute or band-groove in the upper portion of the housing serving to direct the end of the band through the slot in the front of the housing. The free end of the band is then grasped by one of the hands or workmen and all free slack band pulled out. When the strain is released from the free end of the band the latter is prevented from slipping back by the action of the slide, which, falls by its own gravity, causing its roller to tightly jam the pivoted wedge, which latter enters IOO ISO

ing the power applied to the roller and pivoted wedge.

. ted to the under side steam-cylinder and operates to force the pistonl r the pull-har at 4forming a between the sides ot the slide and-formsa narrow throat for the passage of the band.

It will be observed that at this stage of the operation the slide is in its lowest position, and the pawl pivoted to the lower end thereof rests upon the smooth portion W, on the lower end ot' the ratchet-bar. rlhe object ot' this smooth portion W' on he lower endof the ratchet-bar is to prevent the pawl at this stage ofthe operation from engaging with the teeth of the ratchet-bar in order to allow the slide suflieint movement downward (of its` own weight to jam or-wedge the band firmly between it and the pivoted wedge. Steam is now admitol' the piston of the upwardly, thereby revolving the cog-wheel and causing the pull-bar G to be forced upwardly and the push-bar G to be forced downwardly. Thefree end of the band,\being firmly wedged between the roller and the wedge, is prevented from slipping, and hence is drawn upwardly with the pull-bar, while .the buckle-holder serves to hold the buckle as it is forced downwardly, the buckle ing owing-to the lateral strain exerted on the buckle. Thus both ends of the band are simultaneouslypuiled in opposite directions, and this vmovement 'is continued until the maximum strain has been exerted. Y

The buckle is automatically locked during the tirst part of the reverse movement of the push and vpull bars,-as follows: By exhaustingl the steam from the cylinder,thus withdrawrods, the relax action of the band caused by the expansive force of the bale operates to drive the piston downward and reverse the movement of the main shaft and cog-wheel, thereby causing the push-bar to be drawn upward and the pullbar to he forced downward. When the de-4 sired strain has been exerted on the ends of the bandthe pawl attached to the slide engages with the teeth of the ratchet-bar, and hence when a reverse motion is imparted to the push and pull rods the pawl operates to lock the slide to the ratchet-bar.

The slide is prevented from being moved upwardlyas the pull-bar and iits housing descends owing'to the friction exertedon the Thus the ratchetbar is forced downwardly with the housing on the lsame time that the pushbar is bei n g drawn upward. This reverse movement of. the ratchet-bar and push-bar serves to tip or rotate the buckle-holder on its pivots, as illustrated in Fig. 3,'which has the 'ei'ect of kink orbend in the-band 'sufficient to turn the buckle completely'over andthereby form a perfect tie. A

All the handles Z3 can fbe connected on one lateral bar, which, when the buckles have been turned over, can by a single downward 'turn releaseall the free ends of the bands at the same instant.

The housiu g of the pull-bar continues to move to admit the roller journaled therein being prevented from turn` downward, and after the buckle h as been turned over the ratchet-bar moves upwardly with the push-bar and carrieswith it the slide, the latter, as hercinbefore explainerh. being locked thereto by means of the pawl. As the slide -and rollerare forced upward with `theratehetend of tlieband freely move toward or from bar the inclined bearings pp serve to disengage thev pawl from the ratchet-bar, thus allowing the latter to be carried up the entire upward stroke of the push-bar, while the free is released from the pull-bar. The expansion of the bale serves to turn the buckle completely over and form the tie.

The pivoted wedge may bemoved outward by simply reversing the handle connected therewith to enable the free end of the band to be removed from the housing should it get stuck therein by reason of anybends or kinks in the band.

The nut on the screw-threaded-rod attached to the slide may be adjusted to regulate the extent ot' movement of the latter and to prevent the slide from falling out of thehousing when the wedge is turned outwardon its pivot.

. It will be observed that the cogwheel serves as a pivotal bearing for the push and pull rods and enables the lower endsofthe latter to the platen of the press7 and hence accommodate themselves lto bales of varying width. l

In Fig. 7 I have represented the rack-hars as being adjustably connectedwith the push and pullrods. It is sometimes desirable to impart a longer stroke to one of the rods than the other, and this result can be readily accomplishedb by the employment of the adjustable rack-bars shown in Fig. 7 As an illustration ot' thispart oi' the machine, it will be assumed that it is desirable to give the pull-bnr a longer eective stroke than is impartedv to the pushbar. VInstead of forming the cogs of the rackbar on the push-bar, they are formed on a sleeve, R, which is made to slip over-the pushb'ar and lfreely move thereon. Adjustable stops R R2 are secured to the push-bar, and a spring, R3, or yielding disk, is interposed between the lower end of the sliding rack-ban and stop R.

It will be understood by referring to Fig. T that when the cog-wheel revolves the pushbar will not be forced through its downstroke until the sliding rack on the bar has been moved down so that its lower end strikes the stop R', whiclrlatter may besecured to the push-rodin any desired adj nstment, and thus regulate the relative movement ofthe push and p ullI rods. A v

`Thus far l have explained my .improvement vas constructed vand adapted for independent application to the several .bands of a bale; but I contemplate the employment of any number ofthe improved band-pullers, as shown in Fig. 9, wherein thc lower ends of the push-rods are connected by a transverseplate or rod, Sand buckle-holders provided for each band-,opening in the platens of the press. The several housings of the pull-rods are also connected by a transverse plate or framing, S', and provided IOO IIO

rzo

with pulling devices corresponding in number to the several band-openings in the platens.

It will thus be observed `that the entire series of push-bars and pull-bars are operated simultaneously in opposite directions.

The en gi ne or steam-cylinder may be located at the side ot' the press or attached to the front or side of the upper platen.

Fig. 10 represents a modified form of mechanism for operating the push and pull rods.

Instead of en'iploying rack-bars and cog- Wheel, the main shaft may be provided with arms T T', each havin g elon gated slots t formed therein.

A suitable frame, U, is journaled upon the shaft, the uppercross-bar, u, of said frame being provided with guide-openings u u2 for the push and pull rods. The push and pull rods are provided with roller-bearin gs a3, which are supported within the elongated slots t in the arms 'I T. When the main shaft is turned the push and pull rods will be forced in opposite directions.

It is evident that slight changes in details of construction and relative arrangement of parts may be resorted toA without departing from the spirit of my invention, and hence l would have it understood that I do net restrict myself to the exact construction and arrangement of parts shown and described; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a band-tightener, the combination, with an actuating-shaft journaled in bearings connected with the upper platen of a press, of a push-rod provided with devices for holding the buckle and a pull-rod provided with devices for griping the free end ofthe band, said push and pull rods heilig connected at their upper ends with mechanism attached to said actuating-shaft which allows of a swinging movemeut of their lower ends toward and from the platen, and by means of which said rods are simultaneously reci procated in opposite directions by rotating the actuating-shaft in either.

direction, substantially as set forth.

2. In a band-tightener, the combination,

with an actuating-shaft jonrnaled in bearingsv connected with the upper platen ofa press, ot' a push-rod and a pull-rod respectively located on opposite sidesof said shaft, and connected therewith by mechanism which permits the lower ends of said lrods to be swung toward and from the platen, and by means of which said rods are simultaneously reciprocated in opposite directions by rotating the actuatingshaft in either direction, and suitable devices connected with the push-rod for automatically turning the buckle and locking the band therein, substantially as set forth.

3. In a band-tightener, the combination,

' with an actuating-shaft journaled in bearings connected with the upper platen of a press and a cog-wheel secured to said shaft, of pull and push rods provided with rack-bars which engage with the cogs on opposite sides of the cog-wheel, whereby said cog-wheel serves as a pivotal bearing for said rods and permits their lower ends to be moved toward and from the bale, and also to impart a simultaneous movement in opposite directions to the pull and push rods when it is rotated in either direction, substantially as set forth.

4. In a band-tightener, the combination, with an actuating-shaft journaled in bearings connected with the upper platen of a press and a cog-wheel secured to said shaft, of a pull-rod provided with a rack-bar which engages with the cog-wheel and with devices for griping the free end of the band, a push- Arod provided with a rack-bar which engages with said cogwheel and with devices for retaining a turn-over buckle when strain is exerted thereon, and to automatically upset the buckle at the proper time, said push and pull rods being connected with a single cog-wheel, which latter serves as a pivotal-bearing for their upper ends, and also serves to impart to them simultaneous movement in opposite directions when rotated in either direction, substantially as set forth. i l

5. In a band-tightener, the combination, vwith an actuating-shaft journaled in bearings connected with the upper platen of a press, and a cog-wheelsecured to said, shaft, ot' pull and push rods provided at their upper ends with rack-bars which engage withsaid cogwheel, the latter serving as a pivotal bearing for said rods, and also to impart a simultaneous movement to said rods in opposite directions, the push-rod provided with devices for holding the buckle and the pull-rod furnished with a wedge-shaped abutment, and a gravityslide provided with a roller for griping the free end of the band, substantially as set forth.

6. In a band tightener, the combination, with a rotary shaft journaled in bearings secured to the upper platen of the press, and cog-wheel attached thereto, of a pull-rod provided with-a suitable housing at its lower end and a rack-bar at its upper end, and a pushrod provided with a rack-bar at its upper end and its lower end located in a guideway in said housing, substantially as set forth.

7. In a band-tightener, with an actuating-shaft and cog-'wheel secured thereto, of push and pull rods, each provided with rack-bars the teeth ot' which mesh with the teeth of the cog-wheel and connected'with each other above and below said cog-wheel, substantially as set forth.

8. In a band-tightener, witlrthe push rod having a buckle-holder pivoted to its lower end, of a buckle-upsetting device pivoted to the buckle-holder, aratehetbar pivoted to the upsetting device, and mechanismv connecting the ratchet-bar with the griping devices for holding the free end of the band, substantially as set forth.

9. In a baud-tightened the combination, with av ratchet-bar pivoted at its lower end to a buckle-upsettingl device, of a slide provided with a pawl which engages with said ratchetthe combination,

bar and is automatically disengaged therefrom, substantially as set forth.

l0. Ina band-tightener, the combination, with'the pull-bar, of a pivoted wedge and an eccentric shaft, hsubstantially as set forth.

1l. In a band-tightener, the combination, with the pull-bar provided with a wedge-shaped band-griping surface within a band-slot, of a slide provided with a roller journaled in elongated bearings, substantially ,as set forth.

12. Ina band-tightcner, the combination, with the ratchet-bar and inclined bearings within the guideway of the frame or housing of the pull-bar, of a slide provided with a pawl which engages with ratchet-bail and is automatically disengaged therefrom, substantially 'as set forth,

13. In a .bandltightener, the combination, with the push-rod, of a buckle-holder pivoted toits lower-end, and ahucklc-retaining device pivoted to the buckle holder and provided with fingers, which prevent'the release of the buckle until the desired time, substantially.

as set forth.

14. Ina band-tightener, the combination, with a cog-wheel secured to a shaft journaled in bearimgfsA connected with the upper platen of a press, of a push or poll rod provided with a sliding rack-har which engages with said cog-wheel, substantially as set forth.

-In testimony that 1 claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 23d day of February, 1880. l

JOHN'L. SHEPPARD.

Witnesses: Y

W. B. MINoT'r,

J. C. DILLINGHAM. 

